In early 2008, I found myself disconnecting from the ego I had developed over the years. One day, while sitting on campus, I realized I wasn’t the only person in an uphill battle with ego. Don’t get me wrong, I think some ego is necessary when you believe in yourself and your gifts. But that day, I realized we were all in this unspoken competition to be someone. Everywhere I turned, someone was looking to be noticed. It’s natural, if you ask me, but to what extent is it considered an unhealthy practice? 

You can have all the accolades in the world and still wear a mask every day. You can be an 8-time NBA Champion or have even created the cure for cancer and still, in some rooms, no one has any clue who you are or what you do. You see, that day I realized the journey is more important than the recognition itself. No matter if you are your authentic self or the most performative person to exist, someone out there will have no clue who you are. To them, you are nobody, not in a disrespectful way; it’s just that we don’t notice others as much as they think we do, and vice versa. 

When I created the Nobodies brand, it was a subtle reminder to myself to remain humble and appreciate the journey more than the praise. Give grace to the people who wake up and put on their mask every day. It’s power in numbers when we realize we’re no different than the next man or woman. We all have that one thing in common: no matter who you think you are, you’ll always be nobody to somebody.